1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a system and method for creation and deployment of personalized, dynamic web services to access location information on individuals and objects. More particularly, the present invention relates in one embodiment to a system for creation of a personalized, dynamic, web-interface that accesses location information of a tracking unit associated with an individual or object that uses wireless data transfer and/or wireless location and tracking systems and wireless communication system (WCS).
2. Description of Related Technology
In conventional communication systems, location information of individuals may be monitored. For instance, location information such as positional coordinates may be tracked or monitored for a variety of individuals, such as children, Alzheimer's syndrome patients, or mentally ill persons. Furthermore, location information for animals, such as cats and dogs, may be tracked using these conventional systems to locate a lost or stolen animal. In other conventional communication systems, scientists, such as zoologists, track, for example, wild animals to study and collect data related to their mating and/or nocturnal behavioral patterns.
In addition, objects are also tracked or located that use these systems. For example, merchants choose to track the location of goods as part of an inventory function and/or an anti-theft mode. In another example, police often use location-tracking systems to facilitate recovery of stolen automobiles, such as the LoJack™ vehicle recovery system offered by the LoJack Corporation of Westwood, Mass., in the United States. Automobile rental agencies often track a location of automobiles that customers rent to ensure their automobile is maintained within a contracted rental use boundary. Other location systems provided in select automobiles assist a driver navigating to a desired destination, such as the OnStar™ system offered by the OnStar Corporation of Detroit, Mich., in the United States.
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology may be incorporated in these conventional communication systems. GPS technology determines positional information of a GPS receiver based on measuring signal transfer times between satellites having known positions and the GPS receiver. The signal transfer time of a signal is proportional to a distance of a respective satellite from the GPS receiver. Consequently, the distance between the satellite and the GPS receiver can be converted, utilizing signal propagation velocity, into a respective signal transfer time. The positional information of the GPS receiver is calculated based on distance calculations from at least four satellites.
As such, GPS technology provides outdoor, line-of-sight communication between a GPS receiver and a centralized station within areas that are unobstructed by fabricated structures and natural features. Fabricated structures may include multi-story buildings, bridges, dams, and the like. Natural features include mountains, hills, valleys, canyons, cliffs, and the like. Exemplary products, such as Wherifone™ and Guardian Lion™, use GPS technology to track individuals and/or objects from a centralized monitoring station.
Conventional centralized monitoring station in many instances use a map that may be two dimensional, or even a three-dimensional, topological map that depicts landscaping, marine, or other environments. The map typically displays representative icons of individuals and/or objects being tracked. In one example, a mobile device may display the three-dimensional map, including primary regions and sub-regions that are pre-programmed to create a series of overlay maps for viewing on a computer display. In yet another example, map information of a first and second user terminal is synthesized; a map is chosen based on the map information from the database; and the map information is displayed on at least one of the first user and the second user terminal. In another GPS conventional communication example, GPS positioning information is transmitted from a GPS unit and between peripheral devices, such as between a camera and a Palm Pilot, through a local wireless communication unit or interface.
In yet another example, a location of small wireless devices on roaming objects is determined by achieving ad-hoc short range wireless connectivity between the wireless devices and communication devices such as Bluetooth enabled mobile phones that pass by, where the communication devices can be located by other means, such as GPS or network-based technologies. Other examples include a location-determining device monitors at least one automatic sensor associated with a subject. Still other alert systems include upon a child feeling endangered, a panic button is pressed to send a panic signal to tell others their location. Still another conventional system depicts a personal security device that includes a manager initiating transmission of a signal to the monitoring network when a sensor senses that the transmitter has been removed from a user. Other conventional tracking and location systems include a central monitoring station utilizing software agents to analyze information received from remote tags, and to determine an appropriate action to take with respect to that information.
According to various patent prior art disclosing systems such as GPS signaling, graphics, and displays associated with user interfaces, which are described below and herein incorporated by reference. Systems generally representative of the patent prior art include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,064,711 to Strickland et al. entitled “Method for Iterative Determination of Distance between Receiving Station and Transmitting Station and Also Calculating Unit and Computer Software Product” that issued Jun. 20, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,244 to Akimov entitled “Method for Mapping a Three Dimensional Area” that issued Jun. 20, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,370 to Ogaki et al. entitled “Positioning Information Transmitting Device and Positioning Information Transmitting/Receiving System” that issued on Jun. 20, 2006. Other representative prior art patents describing still other GPS apparatus and methodology include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,348 to Aoki entitled “Communication System for Providing Information on Position of Communication Party” issued on Jun. 20, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,238 to Katz entitled “Wireless Location Determining Device” that issued on Dec. 26, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,049,957 to Watson entitled “Local Area Positioning System” that issued on May 23, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,368 to Hawkins et al. entitled “Automated Tracking System” that issued on Jan. 6, 2004. Still other representative prior art patents and patent applications demonstrating additional elements of GPS systems include U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,995 to Nakajima entitled “Elevator Remote Monitoring Apparatus” that issued on Feb. 14, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,590 to Hoffman et al. entitled “Personal Security and Tracking System” that issued on May 2, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,088,252 to Weekes entitled “Systems and Apparatus for Personal Security” that issued on Aug. 8, 2006; US 2006/0232449 to Gonzalez entitled “Child Alert System” that published on Oct. 19, 2006; US 2002/0067256 to Kail IV entitled “Reprogrammable Remote Sensor Monitoring System” that published on Jun. 6, 2002; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,149,189 to Huntington et al. entitled “Network Data Retrieval and Filter Systems and Methods” that issued on Dec. 12, 2006. Most recently, still other representative prior art patents involving personalized services include U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,212 to Eberle et al. entitled “System and Method for the Creation and Automatic Deployment of Personalized, Dynamic and Interactive Voice Services” that issued on Sep. 18, 2007, illustrating a system and method for combining personalized information broadcast technology with an active voice page.
In summary, the prior art provides a user limited flexibility to adjust a controlled monitoring area about an object. In addition, the prior art provides limited flexibility for a user choosing and creating custom maps for viewing and locating objects. Furthermore, the prior art has limited ability calculating positional data of objects when GPS signaling is unavailable.
Thus, what is needed are apparatus and methods for wireless data transfer and/or wireless location and tracking systems that provide additional advantages over conventional systems. These advantages would include, inter alia, calculating positional data and location coordinates of tracking devices when GPS signaling is unavailable, providing graphical displays for subscribers which aid monitoring and tracking objects and/or individuals, and/or providing security measures when monitoring tracking devices to prevent unauthorized detection and spying on individuals.